Succession Planting Advice

I didn’t see a topic about succession planting in general, so I figured I’d start one. Hopefully people can share their succession planting advice, tips, and tricks.

I have no advice to give yet though! But I do have a question. It’s mid-July (zone 7a for me) and the squash vine borers have killed my zucchinis. In the past, I would just plant new zucchini seeds, since they grow so quickly and I can get a second crop before frost. But this year (for the first time), I have some tromboncino squash growing up my fence, so I don’t really need any more summer squash. This leaves a fairly open spot in my raised veggie bed where my zucchini plants used to be. What’s a good succession plant to put in that spot? I wasn’t sure if its too hot right now to plant seeds, but I figured I’d ask the esteemed gardeners of this forum for their advice.

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The main challenge with succession planting is finding seeds that will produce on time at least for my zone. Squash will not produce until late July or August in my area for example. By that time I can get something short in like beats or I go for the cold season crops in September or October. For those with long seasons as long as they properly fertilize they can plant much better crops than we in the lower zone areas can.

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Have you ever tried Purple Cape cauliflower? They are an overwintering cauliflower, sown in July and producing heads the following Feb-March. The variety from Adaptive Seeds is supposed to be hardy to 2F.
I’m in zone 8a - they made it through an unusually cold winter with a low of 7F.

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You are not far from me! It is a bit late, but close to the time I would normally start fall cole crops (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage) in pots to transplant a bit later into the garden. They would do well in you squash spot. If you wait a bit, you could also direct sow for fall lettuce, spinach, arugula, or carrots.

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I plant my garlic in late October, harvest it in mid June, and then plant my squash in that same garden bed.

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At this time I don’t have any useful information about this topic but I’ll be following for ideas to use in my garden. Good topic.

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I’ve never grown those types of cole crops before. Could I direct seed into the garden? The open space is maybe 6 feet ish long by 2 feet ish wide. Since you live near me, could you recommend any varieties that would work?

As an FYI: I already grow a bunch of kale, and some perpetual spinach.

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By planting the squash somewhat late, does that help avoid the borers at all?

I’ve never planted garlic before, but I happen to have some garlic in my fridge that is starting to grow little shoots (they’re maybe 1/4 of an inch long). Usually I just cook with the garlic anyway, even if it’s growing like that. But could I plant the garlic out in the bed now? I don’t know the life-cycle of garlic, but could it conceivably grow through fall, die over winter, and then come back in spring, so I could harvest next summer?

That sounds interesting, and the website says they’re hardy to zone 7! But alas, they are out of stock :sob: If you have any seeds you might be willing to send me, I’d happily reimburse you!

I’m starting my second crop of tomatoes here. I also cut off the suckers and right now I have 2 of my favorite tomatoes, Black Krim, and Black Cherry from suckers, I will do more soon. Waiting for this crop of tomatoes to get bigger before I cut down the plants.
It depends on your area, tomatoes can be harvested all the way to Dec here.

My seeds are between paper towels right now. I’m hoping they’ll still sprout since they’re from 2018. If I have success, I can send you some emerging sprouts.

Thanks kindly for the offer, but I would be too nervous that the heat would kill the little sprouts in transit!

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Why do you cut down your tomato plants?

Here, I just let them grow and grow. They usually keep bearing until frost, and grow up and over the 8 foot tall cages I have them in (my cages are made from cattle panels). I’ve never thought to grow a second crop of tomatoes before!

I had an area where something didn’t sprout, so 3 days ago I planted some 3-year old old sweet corn seed I had in the fridge there. It was an se+ type not compatible with my other varieties, but if it even sprouts, it shouldn’t affect my other varieties at this late date. It would ripen two weeks after average frost date, so all might be for nought, but I had nothing to lose, so planted it.

short season corn and bush beans and fast cucumbers this time of year, I direct sow. and I’m starting the brassica stuff in pots, I’ll put that out in late August.

garlic I put out in October. I’m 6b. it’s hot and dry in summer here, hard to find anything to plant after the spring food is over.

I start fall peas and lettuce, radishes beets and spinach in early August

I do cut them down, or start new suckers from the existing plants. I did plant some new seeds for new variety. I often pull them out too especially for the variety that I don’t like. I like my plants to be healthy looking with green leaves, right now they are not, they are just ugly looking.

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For anyone interested, I decided to go with tenderpod bush beans and arugula, for now. Mostly because: (1) I think it might be too late for me to start brassicas indoors now, (2) those were what was available at the Walmart when I went grocery shopping, and (3) the packets say I can direct sow in my garden starting in now/August. So, nothing special.

I also found some dried up pods in my sweet peas that had died from the heat, and I planted the peas back in the same spot where the mama-sweet-pea used to be. We’ll see if they grow, or if they taste good. I have no idea if sweet peas grow true to seed? The mama-plant was just a generically labeled “sweet pea” from a local nursery.

Alas, I had wanted to try dragons tongue bush beans (instead of the tenderpods), but couldn’t find any locally, and I didn’t want to pay more for shipping than the cost of the seeds themselves. This is the agony of gardening: always wondering if I could have planted something else better, and worrying that the things I do plant won’t be worthwhile (i.e. cheaper or tastier then what I can get at a store).

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I thought sweet peas are not edible, I thought they are poisonous.

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You know, you’re right! I meant to say sugar snap peas. But they taste sweet, so I got confused.

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